People Want to Be Here: FL the Top Moving Destination for 2019
Florida was the top moving destination for 2019, per U-Haul. If you’ve spent any time in the state of Florida, you’re undoubtedly spotted moving vans, trucks — and furniture-filled pickups — zipping along local highways and interstates. You’ve probably also spotted those familiar white and orange U-Haul vehicles among other commercial traffic, and with good reason. As measured by the company’s annual statistics, more U-Haul trucks entered Florida — versus exiting — than any other U.S. state in 2019.
It means the Sunshine State is booming as a desirable place to live and work, thus constantly attracting new residents. That’s great news for potential ICI Homes customers. Whether you’re moving from one Florida location to another, or from another state or country, Florida is a wonderful place. Even more wonderful — dare we say it? — than a vacation site.
We at ICI Homes are Florida residents too, so forgive our unabashed enthusiasm. But U-Haul’s 2019 moving statistics are a strong seal of approval for what many of us already know: Florida is a great place to live, work and retire.
Read on for the story behind those numbers.
How U-Haul measures moving
It may sound simplistic, but tracking the destination of U-Haul trucks is an effective way to measure residential growth versus decline. The classic, do-it-yourself moving trucks usually signal a household on the move.
One important caveat: U-Haul’s statistics are centered around one-way rentals of its moving trucks. You and yours load up your U-Haul truck and head for you new custom Florida home. Once emptied, the truck is dropped off the nearest U-Haul center.
So, if more of those one-way rentals enter a state than exit it during a calendar year, U-Haul number-crunchers consider that state a “growth state.” The reverse is true too. States that have more one-way trucks leaving than entering in a calendar year, are a “loss” state.
Company press releases stress that U-Haul’s statistics don’t necessarily reflect other economic and population indicators, but do provide a good birds-eye view of migration trends.
What U-Haul’s 2019 statistics tell us
The company bases its ranking of U.S. states on a compilation of more than two million U-Haul truck transactions per year. Florida jumped to No. 1 in 2019 after sitting No. 2 behind Texas from 2016-2018. Texas dropped to No. 2 in 2019. North Carolina, South Carolina and Washington complete the top five, respectively.
Of course you’ll want to know who’s the caboose: California, at No. 49, and Illinois at No. 50.
Back to our top moving destination, Florida, which saw a one-percent increase in one-way U-Haul truck arrivals into the state. We also saw a one-percent decrease in out-of-state departures — all versus 2018 statistics. Those one-way truck arrivals also produced 50.6 percent of U-Haul’s 2019 one-way traffic in the state.
commercial traffic, and with good reason. As measured by the company’s annual statistics, more U-Haul trucks entered Florida — versus exiting — than any other U.S. state in 2019.
